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I think Mary always planned to leave, but the character being dumbed down over time probably didn't help. She still seemed to have fond memories. My favorite story with her was Stones of Blood, which manages to be campy and yet chilling, and has such great guest stars (as good as the woman who played Vivienne was, that role was originally offered to Honor Blackman - that would have been fantastic).

Tom talking about how he'd rarely been sick and he was almost 80 while Lis and Mary were both gone, it did worry me. I guess it's worse for him because he'd just only gotten back in with the actors and fandom in recent years.

I loved Caroline on the DVD commentaries. My favorite was Spearhead from Space when she and Nic Courtney were dissecting the Brig's first uniform and Courtney was aghast at how it made his bottom look. She insisted he had a lovely bottom. Hearing them laugh and joke, with such clear voices, you'd think this was a day after filming.

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The difference, of course, with the Romanas is that with Lalla Ward in the role it's almost official in some of the stories that this regenerated Romana and the Doctor are in a relationship - they're too close. I actually kind of prefer Romana II, though I love them both, simply for that subtle, mature dimension. One can fanwank that the Doctor latches onto Rose partly because of the physical resemblance between the two (well, I see it, anyway).

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Seeing the Doctor get so upset about Amy's exit, and how brutal her exit was, was probably one of the more upsetting things on the show for me in quite a while. His meltdown at the grave was sad (marred by loud music) but his numbness and pain in the TARDIS was the toughest part. I kind of wish they hadn't had to have River and Amy say, "You can't travel alone," because after what happened to Rory and Amy - not just here, but throughout their lifetime - he must take a long pause about putting more people through that pain. The Doctor didn't always put his companions through so much.

I just wish they could film a one-off with the Ponds in New York. I would write a story where they run into an old (pre-Eleven) Doctor and can't tell him who they are, but they have to help him anyway. I actually have the whole thing worked out in my head - it would be Five and Tegan, and Tegan would have to stay with them for a while while the Doctor is ill, and she and Rory would clash at first until she realizes how they know so much about the two hearts and the TARDIS and all the rest. We'd have to see her adjusting to the realities of late 40s New York (I'd set it about ten years after they left, so that would be late 40s), and also see how Amy and Rory have adjusted to an era of such open racism, sexism, homophobia. Rory would be a doctor, but would mostly work with people who were poor and in need, because River helped them out by giving them investment tips. Amy would be a writer and sort of a neighborhood mother and truth-teller.

/bad fanfic over

The difference, of course, with the Romanas is that with Lalla Ward in the role it's almost official in some of the stories that this regenerated Romana and the Doctor are in a relationship - they're too close. I actually kind of prefer Romana II, though I love them both, simply for that subtle, mature dimension. One can fanwank that the Doctor latches onto Rose partly because of the physical resemblance between the two (well, I see it, anyway).

I preferred Romana II as well, although some of my close DW friends seem to dislike her or see her as too fey. I think under the fairy princess exterior she was the strongest companion the Doctor ever had, and she led the show. The scripts weren't the greatest but Lalla and Tom had such chemistry. Their scenes alone together in a dungeon or tunnel in State of Decay (filmed soon after they reconciled IRL) are some of my favorites of the show.

Edited October 4, 2012 by CarlD2

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Who knows? I heard some recent interview had Gillan and Darvill very nervously hemming and hawing their way around whether they might appear in the anniversary next year - but this time did seem like a rather final end. I do think their exit was great because, like their very presence as a team, it brought home one of the core tenets of the series that revival-only fans don't always recognize; there can be more than one companion of more than one type, and sometimes, they don't always have the happiest of endings. (Though Amy and Rory did live happily ever after, after a fashion.)

I saw some fan thing somewhere with Sarah Jane writing Amy's obit some 5-10 years ago, about her career as a writer and activist (she was the only reporter Nixon trusted!) and crediting her with inspiring her to become a journalist. That was sweet.

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Darvill said in his interviews that he and Gillan weren't going back, so I don't know. I think it would be nice to see them again in the anniversary, although not like Donna's return, which just didn't work for me at all. Maybe they could have scenes with Nine or Ten, or a flashback, or something.

I think this would have been a nice time for a happy ending, something which no companion has had on the new show, but at least they did live a happy life together.

I just hope we don't hear a lot of moaning about how they should have have two people in the TARDIS again, because that always pisses me off.

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I really don't agree with that take, but that's me. They've given me plenty of Rory this year.

I think all the companions have gotten happy endings in the revival, but many have a bittersweet edge. Rose and the Doctor were separated forever (until that clone [[email protected]#$%^&*]) despite her full family and life in another universe. Martha went on with her life and found love. Donna lost her memory of the Doctor but has found love and money. And Amy and Rory are together and happy, but back in time - and from our POV, already gone.

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Mostly, I wished they had one or two scenes with Rory and the Doctor, or the Doctor talking about Rory, even though the main focus was always going to be on Amy (since she was seen as the Doctor's main companion). I don't mean more of the "boy who waited" stuff, which had already been done several times over the last few years, just a little moment where the Doctor remembered them both. I think if you only watched the last episode you'd think Rory was this guy who was married to Amy and she left because of him and the Doctor was upset over her exit and didn't really care about Rory. Or that the show was going along with the idea that only the female companion matters.

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Billie Piper, David Tennant, Matt Smith, at the premiere of her husband's new play, which stars Laurence Fox (the husband), Matt Lewis, some other unknown guys. It was nice to see them all together, and it was nice to see Matt so supportive of Billie, since according to the Mail he doesn't know anyone in the play...

They had Katarina twice, for some reason. Perhaps they were taunting the people who still insist Katarina and Sara were not companions (even though apparently someone who knows the Doctor for a few hours and then commits suicide is). "You don't want Sara? Fine. Here's KATARINA! KATARINA!"

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I'm hoping they might have one last scene with Rory and his father, although more likely it will just be a note. The way it read at first I thought he was going to be taken back with them, but that doesn't seem likely.